Did you design your business’ website or app to be used by real people? Oh, you did? Great, because that is exactly why UX design, or User Experience Design, matters and is an integral aspect of Seamgen’s services.
User Experience Design is…
“The process of enhancing user satisfaction with a product by improving the usability, accessibility, and pleasure provided in the interaction with the product.” – Kujala et al.
I know, we’re sorry, a definition. But it was necessary.
To further simplify it: people should not have to struggle and wrestle with your homepage. Rather, they should enjoy scrolling through and interacting with your website or app.
What’s the Goal?
Through proper UX design, engaging interaction covertly guides the user to a desired action. Great design brings value through user experience, as well as helping to direct those users towards a product goal.
Even though UX may, to some, simply be a layer of design, it really is the mediator between what you offer and the consumer. It can decide whether or not the consumer comes back for more, or leaves your site for greener, less convoluted pastures.
The most important, overarching concept in all of UX design is that real people are going to be using your site or app. These people are of different backgrounds and operate at different levels of relevant knowledge. Within seconds of viewing your app, the interface and ability to move from screen to screen should be clear to all your users.
The Benefits of Well-Designed UX
Designs that allows a user to more efficiently and naturally navigate a service greatly increases the probability of maintaining that user. Also, the longer they’re on your site, the more likely they are to complete targeted or directed actions.
Making it natural for users to do things that you want them to do, is good.
One of the most important steps in the process of designing effective UX is user research. Understanding the people who will be using your service, as well as what actions are the most important, allows UX to facilitate goals and tailor the user’s individual experience.
There are many factors that go into our design process, but two questions have the most influence:
- “Who are your targeted users?”
- “How would they use your product?”
With this information we are able to develop a specialized product for the user .
The ability to guide the user along a desired path, all while creating a rewarding experience, can become a huge differentiator. Proper UX design is an asset that sets your service apart from competitors, whereas sluggish or convoluted UX leads to user frustration, abandonment, and a lack of guidance.
UX Design and Business Strategy
Our Vice President of UX Design here at Seamgen, Brian Lamb, walks us through his approach to UX design, and its intersections with business strategy.
For Brian, it goes beyond just user experience and screenflow, and includes asking many more questions…
“…where does our product fit into the user’s lifecycle? We have to ask ourselves: What are they doing day-to-day? Where is the value proposition? How does this fit into their life?”
At Seamgen, we see the integration of UX and business strategy boiling down to this simple question: how will our design allow a service to improve someone’s life and bring the consumer the value that they deserve?
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